Art Projects!!!

It started with an idea. Famous last words...

About a month ago, I decided I wanted to do tye-dye with my class... seeing that it was one of the highlights of my elementary schooling career. Granted, I was in the 3rd grade not in Kindergarten... something I should have considered... but whatever I always aim high. I only have a year!

I remember back in my school days, everyone couldn't wait to be in 3rd grade because that meant you got to make a tye-dye t-shirt and wear it around school. Epitome of cool :) ...that or a Power Rangers t-shirt or even a Saved by the Bell t-shirt with Zach Morses' face plastered on the front with neon colors... that was super cool!!! 

I can honestly say, I know all my art projects I did in Elementary School. If you asked me what I learned, HA... no idea. This isn't only because I went to a Hawaii Public School... notorious for teaching nothing... no no, it's because in my opinion children are not suppose to be drilled constantly like a military camp which is what they do in the Thai system.

If you came to my school and asked the teachers (farang teachers that is) what they wanted... it would be -- RECESS!!! That's right the children do not have recess. They don't play. They sit in 30 minute sessions of English, Thai, English Science, Thai Math, English Math, and Chinese. And this takes place not only in K-2 but in K-1 and even Pre-K to some extent. They do have nap time and snack time though. But that doesn't really help you expel energy.

The sugar intake that these children do is insane! My parents never got onto me for eating candy... and I ate alot. Brownies for breakfast WHOO HOOO. But these kids put me to shame. Some of them already have rotting teeth from all the sugar. Luckily, they get new teeth in a couple years... something I would never want to relive. I hated pulling teeth. Ah, tangent.

Anyway, we all concur as teachers that our children should be able to play more and not be on such strict regulatory schedules. It is true that if we planned our lessons to incorporate more activity we could change the standard lecture procedure.... which is exactly what we love to do in our spare time :) So I realize all the blame cannot be put onto the school. We as teachers can take the initiative to change the system too.

Which brings me to my idea.

About a month ago, I was standing in the only semi-art store in Pattaya with Teacher Emily. While browsing for pickles (craving), I saw food dye and the idea hit me. I should tye-dye!!! Each color was only 13 Baht and you only need the primaries. I knew doing t-shirts wouldn't work, so I decided to do butterflies made out of clothespins... simple enough.

Though clothespins do exist in Thailand, they are not the typical blank wooden ones I (or any other person who grew up in the American schooling system) would have envisioned. Those must be made in China :) They have a great selection in Thailand, just none that compare to the generic wooden ones in the States. I found some metal ones that looked like they could do the job. 20 clothes pins for 30 Baht (or a Dollar). Sold!

I never knew when I wanted to bust out this project. I needed an occasion. Well, Mother's Day reared it's little face within a month. Perfect.

I mentioned my idea to Teacher Sam. He had just had a rather sour meeting with Eric, essentially the owner of the school. Eric wanted to see more activities in his room. Sam was in a bit of a slump, so I thought I would invite him to join in on my Mother's Day activity. He was game.

I spent the entire weekend - no exaggeration - tracking down the rest of the art supplies. Everything I thought of as simple isn't readily available in Thailand. For example, coffee filters to make the wings. GOOD LUCK! Most of the coffee in Thailand is instant not brewed. The coffee filters I did find were very expensive. My cheap little art project was quickly racking up the Baht! Something I would caution any foreign teacher to really think about. Learn from my mistake! What we consider cheap in our country isn't necessarily cheap in another. Another great example... has nothing to do with my art project, but SPAM. Yep... very expensive in Thailand. Who would have thought?!?!

Oh, I should mention that in addition to my tye-dye project for my class and Sam's, I coaxed Brian into doing one for his class AND I took it upon myself to do one for the Pre-K's. If your not up to date on that situation, the Pre-K teacher quit or got fired... leaving the class teacher less. I felt that they shouldn't miss out on making some kind of art project for their mom just because their teacher disappeared. Just plaster a huge "sucker" sticker on my forehead.

Pre-K Board

Their little thumb prints :)

Once everything was gathered up, I spent the rest of my weekend prepping all three art projects. Pre-cutting, testing, gluing, twisting, glittering, ect.... It wasn't hard. I'm not complaining at all. I love doing these little projects. It was just time consuming.

But the children loved it which is what matters. As soon as they walked into the room and saw the tables with newspaper and colored water, their faces lit up! I remember the feeling...

I tried to give Teacher Sam the tutorial in the morning before school. I think Sam and Brian are twins that were separated at birth. One went to live in England and one ended up in America.

I would like to thank my father for the repeated lessons on patience. Though I hated hearing him tell me that over and over again... especially when it meant I didn't get what I wanted... I think I am a better adult because of it. Thanks dad.

All in all the art projects turned out wonderful.

Mother's Day Board

I think they turned out wonderful. The tye-dye on the coffee filters worked beautifully. I kinda want one :)

More work by my kids...

Example of just the clip. The card process was Day 2!

Teacher Sam kept his wings large aka he didn't want to take time to cut them... boys... matched his bigger cards though :)

Brian's went well. He was a bit nervous, but I gave him the tutorial the night before. His was entitled, "A Spoon Full of Love." It was suppose to have Hersey's kisses in it, but again no dice in Thailand. We found some really cute heart candies that said "kiss" on them. Heaven sent!!! Anyway, it was like a little goody bag with a couple pieces of candy in it with some rock sugar acting as confetti. It was wrapped in red cellophane and tied with a pretty pink bow then topped off with a fake daisy flower. The children wrote a cute little poem to their mom on a heart cutout. Brian's activity caught the eye of Eric and he got mad props from the boss. Figures! Oh well, better Brian than no one.

Our art projects also caught the eyes and ears of all the other farang teachers. Everyone was so surprised that I spent my own money on the projects. They wanted to know if I was told to do it or why I did it...simple guys.... BECAUSE I WANTED TO!!!!

I have to say that the other teachers stepped up their Mother's Day game. I didn't want to make it any sort of competition, but if it inspires the other teachers to do activities with their kids then so be it. I easily can justify spending less than 200 B (less than 8 Dollars) on a project for my class. It really is cheap when you think about it. Granted the school should have better art supplies at our disposal.

However, if the teachers stopped paying for hookers and liquor, they wouldn't think it was a steep price either. Honestly though, I know my Elementary teachers paid for the majority of our art projects. There is no way Hawaii's school budget could have covered it. They did it because they wanted to and they cared. Same reason I did it. I know how much it meant to me back then being a child and giving my mom something I made, and I know how much every child probably wants the means to do the same.


I can tell you one thing though...No more free rides on Misty's Art Train :) I have no energy left!!!

A four day weekend never looked soooooo good!!!